Hope
by IcyKeys-Love
Summary: Gray and Lucy had broken up one year ago, and it was on that day that Lucy disappeared. Now, one year later, it was on that very same day that she would appear again. With no boyfriend. So, Gray still had hope. AU Graylu Week-day four-Seperation and Reconnect


Mizu-chan- Yay, day four! This one is bad, I'm sorry! Please forgive mua! :)

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><p>Separation and Reconnect<p>

Lucy's P.O.V

"I-I'm sorry, Lucy, I just don't think that we're going to work out..."

His words hit me like a bullet. I stared at the ground, forcing the tears to stay behind my eyes. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be! We'd been together for eight years now, and he didn't want to...

"It's that girl, Juvia, isn't it?" I murmured softly, anxiety twisting my heart, causing it to beat irregularly. He was silent, and with Gray, that usually meant yes. I nodded knowingly. I was right.

The blue haired beauty had arrived at our first year of collage. Gray and I had been going out since our second year of high school, and we both thought that we would be together forever. But, sadly, that wasn't the case, as Gray began to drift away from me, more and more frequently, and spending more and more of that time with Juvia. Not romantically, as far as I knew, but who did know? They could have.

But I didn't think he'd actually leave me. But here he was, standing in front of me, his blue eyes boring into my brain, as mesmerizing as the day we'd first met.

But today was the day that I had to turn from those eyes. Possibly (probably) forever.

And so I did.

Without another word, I slowly shuffled my feet so I was no longer facing him, and I heard myself walking away before I registered that I was even doing it. I heard him call something out, but nothing made it through. Thankfully, he didn't chase after me as I picked up my pace and began to walk briskly down the sidewalk, away from him, away from those beautiful blue eyes, away from the memories.

I didn't know what to do! Should I call my friends and go out for a drink? Should I just stay home and sob? Neither of those options sounded very appealing. I didn't know what to do, what to think, what to feel... should I feel betrayed? Juvia had become one of my close friends, despite her stealing my boyfriend!

Stealing...

I guess I felt jealous then.

I couldn't help but feel a bit relieved. At least I was feeling something about this whole mess. I didn't want to become an emotionless single woman who no man would ever dream about loving.

No, I couldn't think like that. I had to keep going. Nothing like what I was feeling lasts forever. I was a writer. If I could create stories, I could create a new life. I could go and do something different, something to take my mind off things. I could do this! I could find someone else along the way, but that wasn't important.

I froze.

How could I be so enthusiastic so quickly after breaking up with my boyfriend of eight years? Most women would cry for a months, and feel depressed for another three! But here I am thinking about a new life already? Did I not really love him? Is that why I'm feeling so... released?

I shook my head.

No. That couldn't be it. If I hadn't loved him, I wouldn't have stayed with him for eight years, even when I knew we were breaking. Maybe... maybe because I loved him so much, I was happy that he was going to be happy.

That was it.

If Gray was happy, I was happy.

But I didn't need to stop there.

I could build up my mansion of happiness into a kingdom if I set my mind to it.

So that's what I was going to do.

Insert line here

Gray's P.O.V

I stared out the window, at the rain running in rivulets down the glass.

Today was the one year anniversary of our break up. Mine and Lucy's, that is.

And I hadn't seen her since.

I'd asked her friends what she was up to these days, and they said she'd gone out, traveling around the world in search of inspiration for her books. At least I knew she was okay. She had published her first book just a week ago. I'd smiled when I'd read the back cover. It was a romance story. Typical of Lucy. But her characters, which I really didn't know anything about, seemed so familiar to me. I knew why, of course. She basically written our relationship under different names and appearances.

I wished I could see her again.

Hang out with her again.

Kiss her again.

I sighed. Juvia and I had broken up around a month after we started dating. We both knew that we weren't meant to be together. I think it was one of those cases where we were too alike. Besides. She was clingy, too clingy. Not that I'd ever tell her that. I'm not _that _cruel.

Or was I?

I'd broken up with Lucy, after all. The love of my life. I knew it soon after I'd started dating the blue haired swimming instructor. Lucy, with her beautiful laughter, with her hyperactive imagination, with her melodic voice, her strong opinions.

It was Lucy.

But it was too late for that now. She was long gone, and, with her looks and personality, she'd probably gotten another lover. I mean, she had been gone a year now, right? I heard my cellphone ring in my pocket and I pulled it out. I frowned at the number. There was no name. I rolled my eyes and put it down on the table, letting it ring.

"Probably just some kind of robot call or something..." I muttered. I'd had enough of _those _in my life. I didn't need another.

I huffed and stood up from my chair, put my glass in the sink on my way to the mudroom, and put my boots on. I headed out the door, needing to clear my head. Maybe the rain would wash away this strange, impending feeling I had.

I walked through the driving rain towards the main street in town. I didn't mind the rain at all, even though it didn't help the gloomy atmosphere that was already surrounding me. It hadn't rained on the day Lucy disappeared, so it really shouldn't be familiar. But, I guess, in a way, it was raining. It was an emotional moment for the both of us, even if I hadn't thought so. I didn't think I was making a mistake. But I had. I knew that now. I knew it soon after she'd left. Or, after _I'd _left was more appropriate. I wonder how she really felt about the situation. I wonder how she feels _now?_

I was so caught up in my own thoughts, that I didn't notice the person coming my way. In a half a second, we had collided and we were both sprawled on the ground, our backs soaked, (or, in my case, even _more_ soaked,) and a bit disgruntled. But the woman I'd run into seemed apologetic enough as she lifted her loose, wet, long hair away from her face.

"I am so sorry! I couldn't see where I was going, my umbrella was in the way and- _Gray!?"_ I stared in shock at the beautiful blonde in front of me. Those eyes, those big, lovely, brown eyes. How long had I wanted to get lost in them? I don't know, I didn't care though.

There she was, looked as dumbfounded as I felt.

Lucy.

I stood up and held out a hand, still speechless. Without hesitation, she grabbed her umbrella off the ground, took my hand, and hoisted herself up. She smiled as she brushed her hair back.

"My god, it's been a while, huh? How are you?" She asked cheerfully, but there was something under the layer of sugar, something bitter. Something sad. I scratched the back of my neck.

"Ah, I'm okay. How 'bout you though? From what I've heard, you've been quite busy." She shrugged and closed her umbrella.

"I don't think I need this anymore." She mumbled, half to herself. Gray looked away.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Do you have a place you're going? Or do you wanna come over to my house, it's literally just around the corner." She looked up at me. She looked more mature, more composed, but she still had a youthful, impulsive glint in those chocolate eyes.

"You have a house now? Cool. Good thing you're outta that apartment, the landlady was awful!" We laughed. It felt nice, to just be chatting so casually. Even so, it hurt a bit that we probably could never be more than that again.

We began to trudge through the puddle ridden street back to my house. Lucy told me about where she'd been, and some of the people she'd met. It sounded interesting, what she'd been doing for the past year, but I was more caught up in her than in her story. I absentmindedly opened the door and let her in before closing it behind me. She took off her shoes and leaned her pink umbrella against the wall. She seemed very comfortable. That was good. If she felt comfortable with me, then we could at least still be good friends.

She looked around, hair and clothes dripping, and my mouth opened before I could think.

"You're soaked. Do you wanna wear some of my clothes for now? You could change in the bathroom." She turned around and smiled.

"Thanks! That would be great." I pulled out a chair for her and went to get some clean clothes from a drawer in my room. I pulled out a loose t-shirt and some jeans that I knew would be too big for her, but I didn't have anything smaller, so I just grabbed a belt and made my way back to the dining room, where Lucy sat, completely at home it seemed. I tapped her shoulder and she looked at me. I handed her the clothes and directed her to the bathroom. She thanked me and went to change. I got into clean clothes in my room, and collapsed in the chair opposite of Lucy's seat. I held my hand to my forehead and closed my eyes.

This was all so sudden, I didn't really know how to react. She was back, and I was euphoric, but I felt dazed.

One thing was for certain, though.

_God _did I want to kiss her! Even more so now that I'd seen her again!

"Gray?" Her voice interrupted my thoughts and I opened my eyes. She stood in front of me in my clothes. She grinned.

"You tired? I hung my wet clothes up on your towel rack, if you don't mind."

"Do you have a boyfriend, Lucy?" I blurted out. She blinked and blushed. Then, she sat down in one of the three chairs and looked away.

"N-no... why?"

I smiled. "N-nothing really..." Maybe not yet. I would wait. Hopefully she would stay, or at least she would stay long enough for me to work up the nerve to ask her again. But... I think I still had a chance. And as long as I had that chance, I'd keep on hoping.


End file.
